I'm thinking of trying my hand at (simple) scenario design, and I'm wondering what we can count on the AI to handle by itself, if anything.

Just some basic questions:

How far will the AI go to preserve itself? If an AI-controlled Carrier Battle Group has a pair of fighters flying CAP overhead and detects a huge wave of enemy strike aircraft inbound, will it scramble more interceptors to defend itself?

I know that the AI will fire weapons (if allowed) at detected threats. What else will it do on its own? Will it change course to pursue (or evade) an enemy? Will a ship or base launch ASW helicopters to attack a detected sub? Will the AI spontaneously turn radars/sonar/jammers on or off in response to changed conditions?

In short, what is the AI capable of doing on its own, and what must definitely be scripted?

I'm thinking of trying my hand at (simple) scenario design, and I'm wondering what we can count on the AI to handle by itself, if anything.

Just some basic questions:

How far will the AI go to preserve itself? If an AI-controlled Carrier Battle Group has a pair of fighters flying CAP overhead and detects a huge wave of enemy strike aircraft inbound, will it scramble more interceptors to defend itself?

I know that the AI will fire weapons (if allowed) at detected threats. What else will it do on its own? Will it change course to pursue (or evade) an enemy? Will a ship or base launch ASW helicopters to attack a detected sub? Will the AI spontaneously turn radars/sonar/jammers on or off in response to changed conditions?

In short, what is the AI capable of doing on its own, and what must definitely be scripted?

Honestly not a heck of a lot. As you mentioned it will fire weapons to defend itself and act on some ROE's but without some scripted AI direction through the mission editor and/or plot it will do nothing complex.

Higher level AI is something to think about in the future but programming this involves pretty complex case logic when you think about all the roles a platform/group/etc carry out.